Can you use the 90 day Schengen visa before a Long stay visa starts

[zeucqu2]

I am planning for a long stay french visa ( 1 year) to start in February 2025 but was wondering if I could theoretically use the Schengen 90 days visa to go early until the long stay visa date comes into effect? 10.0.0.0.1 192.168.1.254

[Marlene495Hadley]

Yes, you can use a Schengen 90-day visa to enter France before your long-stay visa becomes effective. The Schengen visa allows you to stay in the Schengen Area, including France, for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. However, once your long-stay visa is issued, you'll need to leave the Schengen Area and re-enter France to activate it.